Bihar Motor Transport Federation vs The State Of Bihar
2021 Latest Caselaw 655 Patna

          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                     Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.7511 of 2020
     ======================================================

Bihar Motor Transport Federation Through its Vice President, Chandra Bhushan Sharma, aged about-69 years, Male, Son of Ram Manohar Pandey, Registered office situated at Pandey Plaza, 2nd Floor, Exhibition Road, Patna, P.S.- Gandhi Maidan (Patna), District- Patna.

... ... Petitioner/s Versus

1. The State of Bihar Through the Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, Patna, office situated at Biseshwaraiya Bhawan, Baily Road, Patna.

2. State Transport Commissioner Transport Department, Government of Bihar, Patna, office situated at Biseshwaraiya Bhawan, Baily Road, Patna.

3. Officer on Special Duty Transport Department, Government of Bihar, Patna, office situated at Biseshwaraiya Bhawan, Baily Road, Patna.

... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Randhir Kumar Singh, Advocate Mr. Ajay Kumar Jha, Advocate For the Respondent/s : Mr. Lalit Kishore, Advocate General Mr.Vivek Prasad, GP-7 ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE and HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S. KUMAR ORAL JUDGMENT (Per: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE)

Date : 04-02-2021

We have heard learned counsel for the parties at length.

On account of current pandemic Covid-19, the

Government of Bihar issued Notification dated 30th June, 2020,

which reads as follows:

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The petitioner is a Federation of Transporters and seeks

rebate to the extent of 100% instead of 40%. It has not come on

record that for the period 21.03.2020 up to 30.06.2020, the

commercial vehicles were not allowed to operate on the roads

within the State of Bihar. What is alleged by the petitioner is the

State issued a Notification, restricting plying of commercial

vehicles on the roads for such period. But then there is nothing on

record to substantiate such fact. Though such fact not emphatically

refuted, but it is also not supported by any material placed on

record by the petitioner.

Reference of two communications, dated 21st March,

2020 and 24th August, 2020 can be of no avail to the petitioner, for

what can be clearly inferred is that the vehicles were prohibited to

be plied on the road only upto 31.03.2020.

Noticeably, the State Government, perhaps, finding

the transporters to be in financial distress and to overcome the

hardship on account of Covid-19, issued yet another Notification

dated 6.1.2021, which reads as under:

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We notice that the road tax exemption for the period of

63 days, as mentioned in Clause 01, has been made applicable to

the owners of the vehicles and to be deposited by 31.03.2021. We

also notice that for the period of lock down, the State Government,

in principle, has taken a decision, exempting the vehicles from

payment of penalty on account of non-payment of road tax for the

entire period.

Mr. Randhir Kumar Singh, learned counsel for the

petitioner states that the exemption, in terms of Notification dated

30th June, 2020, for the entire period from 31st March, 2020 up to

24th August, 2020 should be to the extent of 100% instead of 40%

for the period 31st March, 2020 to 30th June, 2020.

We are afraid much as the Court would want to help

the petitioner; the issue squarely falls within the domain of

legislative policy makers. Before us, there is nothing on record to

show that the Central Government/Government of Bihar

prohibited plying of vehicles, commercial in nature, beyond the

period of initial lock down.

As such, the best way the issue can be resolved, is to

permit the petitioner to approach the State Transport

Commissioner, Transport Department, Government of Bihar, for

ventilating the surviving grievance(s). Ordered accordingly.

Patna High Court CWJC No.7511 of 2020 dt.04-02-2021

Appreciably, the subsequent notification dated

6.1.2021 was issued by the State Government, more so, on account

of the pendency of the present writ petition and the effort put by

Shri Vivek Prasad, learned counsel representing the State, who was

able to persuade the authorities pursuant to the direction of this

Court, to tide over the hardship, faced by the transporters in the

State of Bihar.

We appreciate the efforts taken by Sri Vivek Prasad,

GP-7 in assisting the Court in this matter.

Accordingly, this writ petition stands disposed of.

Interlocutory Application(s), if any, shall also stand

disposed of.

                                                 (Sanjay Karol, CJ)


anil/-                                               ( S. Kumar, J)


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